Don’t judge me …..but making this jambalaya is actually the first time I’ve ever even tried the meal! My husband and son LOVE jambalaya and have often ordered it out at restaurants but I have never had the desire to give it a try. It’s not that the ingredients in the meal didn’t sound good, it’s just pretty much because I usually have my favorites at these certain restaurants and I usually stick with those go-to’s. I know, I know, I’m a creature of habit and clearly I need to switch things up from time to time.
My son sent me a picture of jambalaya that he made at his home. First of all, sooo impressed that he cooked at home and secondly, he made an amazingly looking meal! It really inspired me to make this dish because my hubby was a little envious of my son having a big ol’ pot sitting in his kitchen. Having never even tried the recipe, I had to just ask my husband what he liked about the meal and what his usual favs are in the dish. This particular jambalaya has shrimp, sausage and chicken and a good amount of heat – just the way he likes it!
In my opinion, it’s definitely one of those dishes that are a little better after it sits for a handful of hours ….or even the next day. I made it on Sunday and we enjoyed it for dinner but not gonna lie, it was better as leftovers on Monday! And this whole recipe is made in one pot, with the exception of the chicken being cooked up ahead of time. In fact, make it easy on yourself and buy a roasted chicken and use some of it for this meal and the rest of for another. There’s always ways to take a recipe and tweak it to make it work for you! I am now a huge fan of jambalaya and though I have never tried it, outside of having this recipe, my husband went on and on about how good it was — so, I feel pretty good about sharing it with you! But mark my words, the next time I see jambalaya on the menu when we are eating out, I will definitely be giving it a try!
- 1 10oz-14oz andouille sausage link, sliced
- 2 chicken thighs, cooked & cut into chunks*
- 1/2 lb peeled, deveined shrimp
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp hot sauce (I used Franks)
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 - 10 oz pkg's cauliflower rice
- In a large Dutch oven, melt coconut oil and sauté the onions, red peppers and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic & toss around another couple of minutes.
- Add sausage to warm through. Then add broth, water, canned tomatoes, hot sauce and tomato paste. Bring to boil, reduce and add bay leaf, all spices, expect parsley. Whisk in arrowroot flour.
- Warm through, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Toss in shrimp & cauliflower rice and cook another 5 minutes, then add in cooked chicken chunks* & parsley.
- This can be served immediately or prepped ahead to let all the flavors meld and thicken up a bit!
- *Cook chicken up ahead of time or use a precooked roasted chicken to save time.
